I tried the viral Scrub Daddy Damp Duster, and I'm never going back to using a cloth again

No matter how often you clean every room in the home, dust is practically everywhere.

And even with my best vacuum cleaner or go-to microfiber cloths, getting rid of dust just seemed like a neverending task. Not only was it time-consuming to swipe every last speck, but would leave my cloths filthy and in need of a good clean.

What’s more, I couldn’t quite get into those awkward places with ease, like in between my blinds with traditional cleaning cloths. Surely, there had to be a quicker solution?

That’s when I decided to try out the Scrub Daddy Duster — a quick and simply cleaning hack that had gone viral on social media a year ago.

Hailing from the same brand that created the Scrub Daddy Sponge Scourer, this dedicated, dust-busting sponge only requires water to clean with, and no other products.

Admittedly, I was skeptical that this piece of ridged foam was a “magical cleaner”, but after noticing how dusty my blinds were, I finally gave in. Here’s what happened when I tried the viral Scrub Daddy Damp Duster to clean my home.

What is the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster?

Essentially, the Scrub Daddy damp duster is a rippled sponge designed to hold dust to it — rather than allow the particles to fly back into the air.

You simply wet it with water and squeeze out the excess, before swiping at dusty surfaces. It’s also easy to clean by rinsing the dirty sponge under water to reuse.

Scrub Daddy Damp Duster: $11 at Amazon

The Damp Duster is a ridged cleaning sponge that simply wipes away dust and debris with ease. Designed to be used with water only, this will ensure all surfaces such as blinds, vents and baseboards are dust-free. It also takes seconds to clean by rinsing it under water before use.

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Using the Scrub Daddy Damp Duster

First of all, don't be alarmed to find the duster already damp when opening the plastic. The duster comes pre-moistened to prevent it from drying out and is ready to use at once! Just remember to only use water, and no harsh chemicals from shop-bought cleaners to avoid damage.

I started with my troublesome venetian blinds in my dining area, which I always find tricky to clean properly.

Typically, a traditional feature duster will only disperse the dust into the air (creating more housework!), while a cloth would be hard to get into the nooks and crannies.

After swiping the damp duster across the blinds ( closed and open), I was impressed at how fast it instantly grabbed dust and surface dirt. I loved the fact that all the dust stuck to the damp ridges, rather than just move dust around that you normally would with a cloth. A bonus for someone who suffers from allergies.

It’s as light as a feather to use. And the soft, compressible material meant that I could easily squeeze it to target awkward areas or crevices. After two swipes, the blinds looked clean and shinier.

I also decided to use it to wipe down my kitchen splashback, as well as my dusty window sills. Again, it proved to be a magnet for dust specks, dirt and even grease marks, leaving a gleaming surface.

Unlike using a cloth, it doesn't drip or coat your hand in water while using it (providing you've wrung out properly). Plus, nothing falls off from the damp dust while you're using, so you don't have to worry about dirt floating on the floors.

Perhaps the highlight was how easy the sponge is to thoroughly clean. I simply rinsed under water and the dirt came off in just seconds, making this an easy tool to maintain between cleaning sessions.

One thing to note is that the sponge gets stiff if you leave it out for a long time. I left it out to dry on the sink, and when I came back to it after a few hours, it was rock hard.

Don’t despair though, all you need to do is run it under water for it to come back to life! To avoid this, you can store in a small plastic bag to retain the moisture.

The bottom line

The Scrub Daddy Damp Duster is a handy cleaning tool that is user-friendly, and does an impressive job. It quickly tackled dusty spots in two swipes, and the dirt instantly stuck to the damp sponge.

Bear in mind, this tool is only intended to remove dust using water — it doesn’t disinfect or properly sanitize surfaces. In which case, you’ll still need to clean and disinfect thoroughly with your chosen products. Still, at just $11, it’s a small price to pay for a dust-free home!

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